About Anna

The City of Anna is a quaint town located in the heart of Southern Illinois within thirty minutes of Interstate 57 and Interstate 24. Surrounded by the beautiful rolling hills of the Shawnee National Forest as well as numerous historical landmarks, there are a great deal of places to explore. One of the unique attributes to the City of Anna is the small town feel you experience along with the short commutes to nearby attractions such as the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, The Lincoln Douglas Debate Site, Bald Knob Cross and many more. For more information regarding local attractions and historical landmarks, visit here.

The City of Anna was founded in 1854 and was named after Anna, the wife of Winsted Davie, a first settler. The City was incorporated in 1865. The City of Anna was known for being a hub of transportation of merchandise between Chicago and Cairo.

Although Anna is a small town, there are big things going on, including the constant development of locally own businesses. Simply taking a stroll down Main Street you will see a variety of businesses including a frozen yogurt shop, pizzerias, antique shops, a sewing and fabric store, numerous restaurants and much more. For more information regarding the local businesses we have to offer, many can be found here, Union County Chamber of Commerce.

Whether you are visiting one of our nearby schools such as SEMO, SIU-C or Shawnee Community College, enjoying a morning at our local farmer’s market, or treating yourself to a cup of our locally made coffee, we hope you relish in the home-town feel and hospitality that the City of Anna has to offer.